Test and Tag Stickers Explained: What the Tag Actually Means
Test and tag stickers are on half the leads in any workplace, but most people have no idea what the details on them mean. Understanding test and tag stickers helps you spot at a glance whether equipment is safe to use. Here are six things to know about what is on the tag.
1. What the tag actually confirms
A tag means the item has been inspected and electrically tested and passed on the date shown. Test and tag stickers are the visible proof that a competent person checked the equipment and found it safe to use. No tag, or an out-of-date one, means you cannot assume it has been checked at all.
2. The details a tag should carry
- The date it was tested
- The date the next test is due
- Who tested it, or the business name
- A pass status
- Sometimes an item or asset number
- The tester’s licence or identifier where used
3. What the colours mean
Many providers use coloured test and tag stickers to show which testing period an item belongs to, so an out-of-date tag stands out from across a room. The colours are a workplace convenience for spotting due items quickly, rather than a fixed national code, so confirm what each colour means with your provider.
4. The due date is the one that matters
On any tag, the next-test-due date is the one to check. If today is past it, the item is technically untested and should be pulled from use until retested. Test and tag stickers exist to make that judgement instant, no due date lookup, just a glance at the tag on the lead.
5. A tag is not a forever pass
A tag confirms the item was safe when tested, not that it is safe forever. Equipment gets damaged between tests, which is why the interval exists and why users should still glance at leads before use. Test and tag stickers are a point-in-time record, not a guarantee nothing has gone wrong since.
6. Damaged or missing tags
If a tag is missing, unreadable or the item looks damaged, treat it as untested and set it aside for checking. Do not just trust old test and tag stickers on visibly damaged gear. The tag reflects the last test; it cannot tell you about the crush mark that appeared last week.
Tags are only half the system
The sticker on the item is matched by an entry in a register, and the register is what proves compliance in an audit. Test and tag stickers and the register work together: one for a quick floor check, the other for the paperwork. A good provider keeps both in sync for you.
Encourage a quick user check
The best safety habit is for whoever picks up a lead to glance at it: is the tag in date, and does the lead look sound? That two-second check, on top of formal test and tag stickers, catches damage between tests and is worth encouraging across any workplace.
When a check turns up something urgent
If a glance reveals scorching, exposed conductors or a burning smell rather than just an expired tag, that is beyond retesting. Switch it off and, if the fault points to the wiring, call an Emergency Electrician Perth, or an after hours electrician near me if it is outside trading hours.
Why use a licensed electrician
A licensed electrician applies test and tag stickers that mean something, backs them with a proper register, and can repair what fails. The state’s Building and Energy sets the broader electrical requirements involved.
Want your test and tag stickers to actually mean something in Perth?
ACS Electrical tests, tags and keeps your register straight, and is an Emergency Electrician Perth if a fault turns up. Explore our test and tag requirements guide, test and tag intervals guide or commercial electricians service. Call 0419 967 838.
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